stephen-charnock a-discourse-of-delight-in-prayer (continued)
Ps. XXXVn. 4.] DELIGHT IN PRAYER. 379 we inquire into the causes of our deadness ? A gracious soul is more troubled at its dulness in prayer than a natural conscience is at the omission of prayer. He will complain of his sluggishness, and. mend his pace.
2. If we find we have a delight, let us examine whether it be a delight of the right kind.
1. Do we delight in it because of the gifts we have ourselves, or the gifts of others we join with ? A man may rejoice in hearing the word, not because of the holiness and spirituahty of the matter, but because of the goodness of the dress, and the elegancy of the expression, Ezek. xxxiii. 32. The prophet was unto them as a lovely song, as one that had a pleasant voice. He may upon the same ground delight in prayer. But this is a temper not kindled by the true fire of the sanctuary. Or do we delight in it, not when our tongues are most quick, but our hearts most warm ; not because we have the best words, but the most spiritualized affections ? We may have angels' gifts in prayer, without an angel's spirit.
2. Is there a delight in all parts of a duty, not only in asking temporal blessings, or some spiritual, as pardoning mercy, but in begging for refining grace ? Are we earnest only when we have bosom quarrels and conscience convulsions, but flag when we come to pray for sanctifying mercy ? The rise of this is a displacency with the trouble and danger, not with the sin and cause.
3. Doth our delight in prayer and spiritual things outdo our delight in outward things ? The psalmist's joy in God was more than his delight in the harvest or vintage, Ps. vii. 4. Are we like ravens, that delight to hover in the air sometimes, but our greatest delight is to feed upon carrion ? Though we have, and may have, a sensible delight in worldly things, yet is it as solid and rational as that we have in duty ?
4. Is onr delight in prayer an humble delight ? Is it a rejoicing with humbling ? Ps. ii. 11, ' Serve the Lord with gladness, and rejoice before him with trembling.' If our service be right, it will be cheerful, and if truly cheerful, it will be humble.
5. Is our delight in prayer accompanied with a delight in waiting ? Do we, like merchants, not only delight in the first launching of a ship, or the setting it out of the haven with a full freight, but also in expectations of a rich return of spiritual mercies ? Do we delight to pray, though God for the present doth not delight to give, and wait like David with an owning God's wisdom in delaying ? Ps. cxxx. 6 ; or do we shoot them only as arrows at random, and never look after them where they light, or where to find them ?
6. Is our delight in praising God, when mercy comes, answerable to the delight in praying, when a wanted mercy was begged ? The ten lepers desired mercy with an equal cheerfulness, in hopes of having their leprosy cured, but his delight that returned only was genuine. As he prayed with a loud voice, so he praised with a loud voice, Luke xvii. 13, 15 ; and Christ tells him his faith had made him whole. As he had an answer in a way of grace, so he had before a gracious delight in his asking. The others had a natural delight, and so a return in a way of common providence.
Use 3, of exhortation. Let us delight in prayer. God loves a cheerful giver in alms, and a cheerful petitioner in prayer. God would have his children free with him. He takes special notice of a spiritual frame : Jer.
XXX. 21, ' Who hath engaged his heart ?' The more dehght we have in God, the more delight he will have in us. He takes no pleasure in a lumpish service. It is an uncomely sight to see a joyful sinner and a dumpish petitioner. Why should we not exercise as much joy in holy duties as formerly we did in sinful practices ? How delightfully will men sit at their games,